From retail therapy at the trendiest malls across Asia to some of the best sporting activities this side of the planet, AirAsia brings you the best of shopping and sports within its network of destinations. Here’s how you can indulge in some of the most exciting activities around while saving big on baggage and sporting equipment.

Words: Adli Syahril

SHOPPING

HONG KONG

One of the leading shopping destinations in Asia, Hong Kong has taken the art of shopping to amazingly lofty heights.

MONGKOK Experience the best of Hong Kong’s open-air street bazaar with hawkers selling almost everything from fashion to electronics.

THE LANDMARK Home to prestigious international brands and designer labels with luxury being the catchphrase of the day!

GETTING THERE AirAsia flies to Hong Kong from various destinations. Go to www.airasia.com for flight details.

BANGKOK

From high end department stores to warehouse buys, Bangkok makes your hard-earned cash work extra hard for you!

Shop Here!

CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET Chatuchak Weekend Market is home to more than 8,000 booths in over 27 sections. It is one of the largest markets in the world selling almost everything from clothes to antiques and collectibles at ridiculously cheap prices.

SIAM A sprawling shopping hub teeming with international brands with flagship stores, almost every designer label can be found at Central Chidlom, Siam Paragon, Gaysorn Plaza, Siam Square and Discovery Centre. The surrounding area houses wholesale and cheaper shopping options that are equally exciting like MBK and Platinum Mall. Pratunam Market here is also a major street market selling fashion goods and souvenirs at wholesale prices.

SUKHUMVIT ROAD The longest street in Thailand with countless side lanes (soi), Sukhumvit is packed to the rafters with great shopping hotspots such as the Emporium, Terminal 21 and L’Arcadia. Stalls selling all kinds of things line the street at night.

GETTING THERE AirAsia flies to Bangkok from various destinations. Go to www.airasia.com for flight details.

Shopping in Singapore’s street markets.

SINGAPORE

Singapore’s great claim to fame is arguably shopping. The best time to shop is during the annual Great Singapore Sale (mid-May till mid-July) where prices are slashed drastically to make way for the latest season. But all year round, shopping is simply superb in Singapore!

Shop Here!

ORCHARD ROAD With over 22 malls and six department stores featuring about 2,000 brands on a 2.2-km stretch, Orchard is the main shopping district in Singapore that will not disappoint the avid shopper.

THE SHOPPES AT MARINA BAY SANDS Part of the lifestyle complex that includes a hotel, convention centre, casino and museum, The Shoppes is a humongous mall with some of the most notable labels from around the world.

In Southeast Asia, surfing is fast gaining popularity, as more and more tourists are visiting to ride spectacular waves. Surfing in these tropical countries promises warm waters and excellent weather all year long. One of the world’s most noteworthy surfing destinations in Asia is Indonesia due to its challenging surfs and relatively unknown locations. For hardcore surfers, Australia continues to be the spot to catch a wild ride.

ARUGAM BAY, SRI LANKA One of the best surf points in the world situated on the Southeast side of Sri Lanka.

KALIM BEACH, PHUKET, THAILAND The best surf spot in Phuket with swells of up to three metres.

CHERATING, PAHANG, MALAYSIA Malaysia’s own surf retreat. Great for beginners.

Deep sea diving in Sipadan.

DIVING

Fancy an underwater adventure? Go scuba diving or snorkelling to view beautiful corals and colourful marine life. Southeast Asia has many great diving spots due to the warm waters that enable marine life to thrive in profusion.

NHA TRANG, VIETNAM A famous seaside resort-town and the scuba diving centre of Vietnam.

Biking in Australia.

BIKING

Biking is a great recreational activity that allows you to stay fit even when on a holiday. There are many biking-friendly destinations in Asia that enable you to visit and experience the heart and soul of the country.

Pedal Power

BATUR, BALI, INDONESIA Explore the heart of Bali when you mountain bike through tranquil villages.

AMPHAWA, BANGKOK, THAILAND Get in touch with the simple life while experiencing how the locals go about their daily lives in Amphawa.

BEIJING, CHINA The capital of China may be a megalopolis but the city is also one of the friendliest biking cities in the world. Explore hutongs and quaint back lanes while enjoying the history of the imperial city.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA With wide open spaces and a very relaxed lifestyle, Perth is Australia’s top biking-friendly city.

HANOI, VIETNAM Cycling through Hanoi’s villages and terrain ranks amongst the best modes of adventure and recreation in Vietnam.

Skiing in Xiling, China.

SKIING

A ski vacation is the perfect way to chill and relax, while enjoying the winter wonderland. But don’t be misled into thinking you need to visit the French Alps to enjoy the best powder. Asia and Australia offer some unusually exciting winter holiday spots!

Slide On Snow

JISAN FOREST RESORT, INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA A 40-minute drive from Seoul brings you to one of the very few resorts worldwide to offer midnight skiing.

NANSHAN SKI VILLAGE, BEIJING, CHINA The largest skiing resort in North China.

SNOW TOWN YETI, MOUNT FUJI, JAPAN A ski resort with an excellent view of Mount Fuji.

THREADBO VILLAGE, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA A well developed downhill ski area in the heart of the Australian Alps.

XILING, CHENGDU, CHINA You’ll think you’ve landed in the most magical European snowscape!

SMART SAVINGS!

SHOP TILL YOU DROP!!

Save on baggage fees when you prebook! AirAsia has reduced baggage check-in fees for the 15 kgs and 20 kgs weight categories by RM5 on both domestic and international routes, while AirAsia X has reduced baggage fees for the 25 kgs and 35 kgs. Both airlines have also introduced new weight categories for domestic and international flights. All these means you can save up to 50% when you pre-book baggage check-in online. That can only mean one thing – more shopping!! For sports enthusiasts, you can now bring your own sporting equipment such as golf bags, mountain bikes or surf boards to your destination of choice with AirAsia’s reduced Sports Equipment pre-book options. You’ll no longer be charged flat rate fees and need pay only for what you take on board.